It was June 15th, 2019 E-scooters were allowed on the streets of Germany as the government finally legalized them. People were able to quickly hop on this, as they adopted them with excitement and extreme joy. It instantly became the public favourite for day-to-day commutes or even for sheer joy. It has been three years since it got legalized but even after three years, German citizens are still riding the E-scooters with complete enthusiasm.
What are the Basics of E-Scooters in Germany
E-Scooter has two wheels, a handlebar and a platform, Deck; where the rider stands, providing the best solution for short-distance travel. Easy, Cheap and accessible everywhere. e-Scooters have been upsurged in their popularity but mainly due to the scooter-sharing companies introducing them overnight into big cities such as Berlin & Munich.
Public awareness of micro-mobility has increased due to these scooter-sharing opportunities. Which led to an increase in companies offering a number of different kinds of scooters and sharing services.
The Federal Ministry approved the use of “Small Electric Vehicles” aka e-Scooters in 2019 but with some important riding rules. Some of these include that you must be a minimum of 14 years of age, you must wear a helmet while riding and you must not go above 20 km per hour as this is the speed limit for E – Scooters.
e-Scooter-sharing companies have been operating in major cities of Germany including cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne & Frankfurt. e–Scooters have been a favorite of students and daily commuters as it’s a little lighter on the pocket, as well as provide a faster transit experience. It's also convenient for you if you are running on a budget and don’t want to spend too much money on your daily travel.
HOW THE RENTING PROCESS WORKS
The most basic and essential step for renting an e-scooter is to have a smartphone.
- Firstly, you must install the service provider app. There are many options to choose from.
- Register yourself on the app.
- Select the payment option, you want to pay with.
- You can check the nearest e-scooter spot on the app.
- Scan the QR code on the scooter.
- Now your rental process has been started.
- After reaching the destination, park it (designated areas) and end the process from the app.
Simple & Easy.
List of Best E-Scooter Sharing Companies in Germany
There are several apps that allow you to rent the scooters. We made a list that concludes some of the best scooter-sharing companies.
LIME BIRD BOLT VOI CIRC TIER
Price/min 25 cents/min 20 cents/min 19 cents/min 15 cents/min 20 cents/min 19 cents/min
Rental Fee 1 1 - 1 1 1
Quality Heavy but great Good Good Satisfying Great Good
Availability Worldwide Worldwide Germany Europe Germany Europe
Payment Credit Card, PayPal, Google Pay Credit Card, PayPal, Google Pay Credit card, PayPal Credit Card, PayPal, Google Pay Credit Card Credit Card,
PayPal
Apple store ratings 4.9 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.6 4.7
Playstore ratings 4.8 4.8 4.7 4.6 4.5 4.1
LIME
With their availability in 16 German cities, you can rent these E-scooters, 1 at a time for 25 cents/min with a rental fee of 1€ to start the ride. They also provide their users with packages including daily, unlocking and minutes packages. The payment options they give are PayPal and Credit Card. The green & black colour bearer E-scooter is easily distinguishable as a Lime-S (to differentiate them from their E-Bikes) scooter.
Lime Provides global services and you don’t have to change accounts while you are on the go. Accessible from anywhere, just download the app and rent a scooter. Simple and Convenient. The only con of these green & black scooters is they are a little heavier than the others.
Pros
✅ Price packages
✅ Global
✅ Excellent driving impression
Cons
⛔️ Heavier than others
⛔️ Rather expensive
BIRD
With Global services and excellent quality scooters, Bird remains on top amongst other E scooter sharing companies. Providing the cheapest rides with 20 cents/min with a rental fee of 1€ to start the ride.
With plenty of options to pay with, including Google pay and PayPal. These “Sporty” scooters give a solid performance, are good conditioned, having rubber tires and grip brakes, providing an overall 10/10 experience.
Give a free ride and get a free ride when each friend takes their first ride (up to 5€ each)
Pros
✅ Midrange price
✅ Solid performance
✅ Nimble
✅ Speedometer
Cons
⛔️ No phone holder
BOLT
Bolt set a frenzy with their pricing when introduced. With cheaper cents/minute and no renting fee, it became a public favourite within days. Providing the best scooters with excellent tires and good grip bolts that too with the cheapest pricing range, Bolt is a win-win. You can rent the E-scooters for 19 cents/min with no rental fee at all.
The total bill can be paid through PayPal or a Credit card. It also provides a Speedometer to help you keep track of that speed limit. It does not come with a phone holder or even a bottle holder but with that good price, people seem to ignore these little cons.
Pros
✅ No rental fees
✅ Cheaper than others
✅ Comes with a speedometer
Cons
⛔️ No phone holder
⛔️ No Bottle holder
VOI
Solid Rubber tires, Grip brakes, blinkers and mobile holder, you’ll get all of these while riding Voi. Available in 11 German cities, Voi Pricing starts at 15 – 19 cents per minute with a basic rental fee of 1€.
Voi also provides a monthly/daily pass so you can get a cheaper deal. Book your scooter, pay with either your credit card, via PayPal or Google Pay and enjoy the ride.
Pros
✅ Monthly / daily pass
✅ Cheapest
✅ Good availability
✅ Phone holder
Cons
⛔️ Weak Brakes
⛔️ Wobbly
⛔️ Bad driving experience
CIRC
Circ provides great quality E – Scooters in almost all the big cities of Germany including the capital. The rates start at 15 – 20 cents/minute with a 1€ rental fee to start with. You can also get good deals for even cheaper pricing.
Formerly known as Flash, Circ might be the good choice for you with its good pricing and deals to offer, but its availability is where the company lacks. Compared to Lime and even Bird the availability of Circ has been a problem for users.
Give a free ride and get a free ride when each friend takes their first ride (up to 5€ each)
Pros
✅ Price packages
✅ Good equipment
✅ Good driving experience
Cons
⛔️ Unavailability at times
TIER
Available throughout Europe, Tier or myTier is also an E – Scooter sharing company giving absolutely the best possible rates. The unlocking fee 1€ and only 19 cents per minute. Having multiple payment options including PayPal and Google Pay.
Providing good quality E – Scooters, Tier is a German-based company. With easier handling and smooth rides, these black & turquoise combo scooters are easily distinguished on the streets of Germany.
Pros
✅ Easy to drive
✅ Good equipment
✅ Top rated in safety
Cons
⛔️ Time-taking verification process
Conclusion
Who won? You might ask. In light of all the pros and cons of these E – Scooter sharing companies the overall winner we believe is Lime. With its excellent driving impression and powerful grip brakes easy booking and accessibility of the Scooters, Lime win in all aspects. Bolt landed itself a number two position because of its exceptional rates and outstanding service. Free unlocking and only 19 cents a minute. Satisfactory performance good riding experience and well-equipped and convenient.
